Councils fight over ‘Gavin’s gaff’

A MAJOR battle began last night over ambitious plans to extend Cork’s city boundary.

City councillors agreed unanimously to lodge a formal request with the county council to facilitate the first city boundary extension since 1966.

However, county councillors had called earlier yesterday for the suspension of co-operation with the city as the row over the plans deepened.

Several county councillors said that despite having regular meetings with their city counterparts on a joint strategy committee, the first they knew of the proposals was when a report appeared in the Irish Examiner last Saturday.

They were further angered when county manager, Maurice Moloney, confirmed that he had only received a copy of the report yesterday morning.

Cllr Tomas Ryan (FG) said it was “shabby” that the city manager, Joe Gavin, had not informed Mr Moloney sooner. “I have never seen such shoddy work in my life,” he said.

Cllr Deirdre Forde (FF) said: “The way the city has gone about it is directly insulting to county council. I’m calling on the joint city and county committee to be suspended until we have an apology from the city council. They’re like developers who look for very large planning applications and then settle for less.”

But city councillors, who directed Mr Gavin to prepare a report on a boundary extension, defended the proposals during a debate last night.

The report recommends the city take charge of Kerry Pike and Killeens, Monard, Rathpeacon and Rathcooney, Glanmire, Riverstown, Glounthane and Little Island, Curraheen, Waterfall and Ballinora, and on the south Ballygarvan, Togher, Doughcloyne, the airport, including its business park, Douglas, Donnybrook, Grange, Rochestown, Passage and Monkstown.

The move, if successful, would see the city’s land area grow fourfold and its population grow by 50%.

Cllr Damian Wallace (FF) said it was a fair request. He said he regretted the tone of comments from some county councillors who did not seem to realise that this issue has been discussed at the joint committee for almost two years.

Cllr Jim Corr (FG) described the proposed boundary extension as “of reasonable dimensions”.

“If the county council refuses our request, we should invoke Part 8 of the Local Government Act. We must not allow the Environment Minister to kick this issue to touch,” he said.

But Ballincollig-based county councillor, Derry Canty (FG), condemned the proposals, claiming that city officials were trying “to swipe” what the county council had achieved, such as setting up the Cork Airport Business Park.

Cllr Ryan added that the city council had made serious mistakes by selling off a large proportion of its land bank and said an example of this was Owen O’Callaghan’s purchase of Mahon Point.

Cllr Tim Lombard (FG) described the proposal as “nonsense”, pointing out that the city wanted to extend its control over 19,000 hectares, instead of the 4,000 it already had.

Meanwhile, FF’s Cllr Michael McGrath said the city’s approach was regrettable and flew in the face of partnership.

The Mayor of County Cork, Cllr John O’Shea, said he regularly met with senior city council officials and was never told informed of the move.

“It will be known as Gavin’s Gaff. It is time for us to man the barriers. Nothing in this county will be given away,” the mayor said.

Mr Gavin said the city should not impose a timeframe but should review progress at a later date.